It's Complicated
by AngelOfLorien
Summary: EDITED & UPDATED! Will's powerless cousin, Lex, has to help the guys on a secret [as in, keep it from the parents] mission. Did I mention she's also Warren's ex?
1. Meetings

I retrieved my bags from the trunk of the taxi and walked up the front steps, not bothering to knock as I entered my cousin's house.

"Will? You home?" Silence was my answer.

Dumping my luggage in the living room floor and carefully setting my laptop on the coffee table, I took out the note that Will had left at my office.

_Lex,  
Got a problem and need your help. Come for the weekend and bring your stuff.  
Details when you arrive.  
If I'm not home, we're all at Layla's. Keep this on the DL.  
NO PARENTS!  
-Will Stronghold_

I shook my head, pondering for the umpteenth time why he felt that he had to specify who he was by using his last name. It wasn't like I was constantly getting secret communiqués from guys named Will.

I grabbed my laptop case and slung my messenger bag over my chest before heading out the back door to cross the yard to Layla's house. I knocked, smiling politely when her mom answered.

"Alexis! It's so nice to see you," she said, giving me a friendly hug. "Come to join the big pow-wow?"

"Yes ma'am. I'm staying the weekend at Will's."

"I know you kids are probably going through withdrawals, what with you all being so busy with work and college," she said as she led the way to the stairs.

"It has definitely been a switch," I agreed. "See ya Mrs. Williams," I called, bounding up the stairs.

I rapped twice on Layla's bedroom door, leaning in to sniff the wisteria that tangled over the doorframe. Sometimes being able to grow plants anywhere was pretty cool.

Layla opened it and pulled me in, wrapping me in a hug with a squeal.

"Omigod, I missed you so much!" she gushed.

"I missed you too," I said. I gave a wave at everyone and crossed the room to sit next to Zack. "So what's up?" I asked Will, who sat next to Ethan on the floor looking at what appeared to be blueprints.

"Mr. Brilliant there misplaced his HiN transmitter," Magenta said, kicking Will lightly on the leg. "And now the mad scientists at the SSE have it."

Ethan chimed in. "We've got to get it back before anyone A.) finds out that Will lost it and B.) gets themselves turned into guinea pigs. Ow!" he said, rubbing his arm where Magenta punched him. "It's just a figure of speech!"

Another knock on Layla's door sounded, but I was too interested in the schematics of the SSE building to pay any attention.

"We'll need you to get through their surveillance and security so we'll have time to get the transmitter and any heroes that might be in there," Will said. "Their system is more advanced than anything I've seen, and with them being the SSE, I figure they're prepared for anything a hero can offer."

A hero's HiN—Hero In Need—transmitter was like a worldwide panic button. Any time a hero needed backup, they would press their button and the nearest available hero would swoop in and help. If Will's HiN had fallen into the hands of the Society for Superhero Experimentation, it was only a matter of time before things got really bad.

"Oh, wonderful," a deep voice mocked from behind me.

Speaking of really bad…

I turned around slowly, a look of contempt practically curling my lip. Too bad Warren Peace was so damn disagreeable. It was a total waste of good looks.

He stared down at me, one brow arched but otherwise showing no expression. His black hair was shorter than last time I saw him; not quite brushing his shoulders. He had long since traded in his red streaks, but he still wore the same style of clothing as when I first met him.

A vintage black Guns N Roses t-shirt stretched across his chest, the sleeves and neckline of a white t-shirt peeking out from beneath it. His dark jeans fit his waist but bagged in the legs, and a long chain led from his front pocket to his back pocket. He had tossed his leather coat over a chair in the corner, but his hands were still covered with black fingergloves.

"1986 called. They want their gloves back," I said, using the line my brother had tossed at me every time I wore my fingergloves. I was glad I had to do laundry and was simply wearing a t-shirt and jeans. Our tastes had always been similar, and it tweaked me that he liked the same things I did.

"Cute," he said, though his tone implied the opposite. He rubbed his fingertips in the telltale sign that he was annoyed.

_First blood_, I thought with a secret smile.

-

We stayed at Layla's long into the night, planning. In a little more than 24 hours, we would be breaking about 50,000 laws, including hacking, breaking and entering, theft, and destruction of private property.

Needless to say, everyone was a bit edgy.

"Zack, stop glowing!" Layla demanded, shielding her eyes against the vibrant green light.

"I can't," he said helplessly. "I glow when I'm nervous, and the more we talk about this, the more I am fuh-reakin'!"

"Relax," Will said. "It isn't gonna be that bad. Right?" he asked, looking to me for confirmation.

_How the hell should I know?_ I thought, but I nodded.

"Right. I've totally got you covered," I said, offering Zack a smile.

"Ok," Ethan said, drawing everyone's attention back to the blueprints. We all sat in a circle in the middle of Layla's floor.

"We're going to set up shop here," he said, pointing to a cluster of trees. "From there, Lex is going to take out—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…She's not going with us," Warren said.

A muscle beneath my eye ticked, but before I could respond, Magenta lit into him.

"Seriously flameboy, you need to get over your ego. Just because Alexis is a squib—no offense, Lex--doesn't mean she isn't a valuable part of what we're doing."

"I never said she wasn't," Warren said, surprising me. "But the fact is that she's just a normal girl with no pow—"

"What, so just 'cause she's a girl she can't go? Girls without superpowers can't handle themselves?" Layla demanded.

"Not in situations like this," Warren insisted.

Will gave a soft groan and Zack shook his head as Layla stared open mouthed at Warren. You would think after 5 years he would know what buttons to avoid pushing. The fun-loving tree-hugger could only bend so far on certain subjects, and she had just reached her snapping point on the subject of feminine prowess. Ethan scooted a few inches to the side as subtly as possible. Magenta and I just watched. Warren was about to be verbally flayed alive.

"That is the most chauvinistic, priggish, arrogant thing I have ever heard tumble from your mouth," Layla said, standing. "And _that's _saying something."

Warren watched her, knowing that he was in for a speech. I had to give him credit though. If anyone else had been standing over him yelling, he would likely have torched something. But everyone could stand when Layla scolded them. It didn't happen very often, so usually we just let it slide.

She planted her hands on her hips and gave him a withering glare. The ivy that had been clinging to her walls slowly withdrew and returned to the main potted plant.

"Can _you_ hack into an elaborate, highly secured computer system and disengage surveillance and alarms? Hm? Nooo? Well Lex can. Hero or not—man or woman—Lex is a very, _very_ important key player in this operation, so you just need to shut your cakehole."

My eyebrows rose as Layla sat down with a huff, but what surprised me most was the smile that crept across Warren's face when she looked away. It was quick; a flash of white teeth amidst his dark coloring, but it was there nonetheless.

My own lips curved in response, just as he flicked his eyes my way. I looked away quickly, but not before I noted the way his features softened when he smiled.

_Damn._

For the first time in years, Warren Peace had slipped past my defenses.

-

_**Sky High Beginning of Summer Dance  
End of Sophomore year**_

"Are you sure it's ok that I come to this?" I asked Layla as we stepped off the Sky High bus. "I'm not a student here."

"It's fine. Your parents were students, so it's not like you're an outsider. You just…"

"Don't have any powers," I finished for her. "Yeah, I noticed," I said, tugging the strap of my dress back onto my shoulder.

As a rule, dresses weren't my thing but if I had to wear one, Aunt Josie had picked the perfect one for me. It was black and purple plaid, with black lace covering the bodice. It had wide tank-top style straps and a long skirt that lightly brushed the ground as I walked. The greatest thing about it was that I could wear my Converse high tops underneath and nobody would know. At 5' 8", I tend to stick out when I wear heels.

"Come on," Layla said, leading me to the gym.

We met up with Will and the others by the punch bowl. It was easy enough. Just look for the gaggle of girls pouting for the next dance, and Will was sure to be there.

I knew Zack already, but it was the first time I had met Magenta and Ethan. We stood around talking for a while before I removed myself with the excuse of needing some air. In truth, I wanted to explore the halls of the legendary Sky High…a place I would never be welcome.

I walked along, humming softly, intrigued by the placards outside the classroom doors.

_Mad Science Lab, Techno- and Telepathic Training Center, Hero Support…_

This place was great. I rounded the corner and stopped, listening. Music? From ahead I saw a single beam of light slipping from under a door. There wasn't a sign on the door, so I approached it cautiously and pressed my ear to the surface, listening for sounds from within. I could hear a soft whooshing sound above the music—_White Zombie's "More Human Than Human"_, I realized, smiling—and gently pushed the door open.

I snuck inside, hanging back partially hidden by a wheeled metal shelf. Obviously I had stumbled into a practice arena of sorts, because every few seconds a ball or stream of fire would shoot across the room and hit one of several targets. I had yet to see the one throwing them, but as the stereo switched to a different song, I heard heavy, long-but-lazy stride of footsteps coming closer to my hiding spot.

I inclined my head slightly, leaning against the shelf to get a peek at the mysterious pyro, but the shelf creaked and shifted. I had forgotten the wheels, and with a small squeak of surprise, I found myself in a heap on the floor. To make matters worse, I had startled whoever was practicing so I was immediately rolling out of the way of a well-aimed fireball.

"Whoa, easy!" I called, throwing my arms over my head. "Relax!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing in here?" The tall--and incredibly angry--boy demanded as he turned off the stereo. His eyes narrowed on me, raking over my form in assessment. "Get back to the dance, freshman," he said, slapping the power button on the CD player. Another heavy rock song blasted from the speakers as the boy returned throwing flames at random dummies.

"Why aren't you at the dance?" I yelled over the music. He looked at me for a moment as if wondering why I was still there and rubbed his fingertips.

"Didn't I tell you to leave?" he asked, sounding bored.

"Yeah.Well, no. Not really. You said 'leave _freshman._' I'm not a freshman."

"Glad you cleared that up," he said. He flicked his forefinger and a mini-ball shot out, landing at my feet.

"I'm guessing you aren't on the welcoming committee," I said, scuffing my shoe on the scorch mark in front of me.

He shook his head, giving up and unplugging the cd player. He picked up a leather coat and tossed it over his arm before taking his cd player and making his way to the door.

"So why are you not at the dance?" I asked again. I walked over and opened the door for him, receiving a scowl for my efforts.

"I don't like people."

"Oh. You're friends with Will and Layla though aren't you? Warren, right? I recognize you from Will's yearbook from last year."

He gave a grunt of affirmation. I soldiered on. "I'm Alexis--Lex to most people. Will's cousin."

"Fascinating," he said, his voice void of emotion.

"Your power is pretty cool," I said, wondering why I was making idle chitchat. He was silent as we walked down the hall. I tried again, suddenly curious.

"Do you like going to school here?"

"Why the hell are you following me?" he asked, exasperated. He pointed back the way we had just come. "The dance is that way."

I opened my mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a loud male voice reverberating down the hall.

"Hothead!"

I flinched, but Warren just muttered a curse. He turned, tilting his head to the side and pasting a look of insolence on his face.

"You and your little girlfriend here wouldn't be working on biology, would you?" he asked rudely. "You know the rules. Students aren't allowed to leave the gym during dances."

He looked at me. "Who're you? No, wait. I know you. You're the Lewis kid," he said, pointing at me. "Aquarius and Archangel's daughter."

"Yeah, though sometimes they're known as Stan and Genie," I said with a small smile. _Don't ask. Please don't ask..._

"So what's your power?"

_Shit._

"Well, it's, um, kinda complicated to explain," I hedged. I flicked a glance at Warren Peace, who was paying attention to me for the first time since we left the practice room.

Naturally.

"I, uh, I haven't really pinned one down yet."

Boomer's brow furrowed and he looked at me confusedly. "What, so you're a squib?"

"I don't know," I said quietly, silently lamenting about how much this sucked. "I just don't have any powers _yet_."

The coach gave a scoff of dismissal and looked back at Warren. "Just take it back to the gym, huh fireball?" he said before brushing past us and going his own way.

I straightened my shoulders and cleared my throat. "Look, I better get back to the dance," I said, not quite meeting Warren's eyes. "Later."

I left, nearly running into a couple of students as I rounded the corner.

"Couldn't help but overhear," a beautiful Barbie-esq girl said, grinning maliciously. "A real live squib here in our midst."

"Yeah, I thought Ron was the only one," a preppy blond boy said. "What a small world."

"Your parents must be SO proud," Barbie said.

My fingers curled to fists, and I braced myself as I prepared to pop Barbie right in her perfect face. Before I could swing, however, a hand clamped onto my wrist and a body stepped between us.

"Problem, Ice-Bitch?" Warren asked.

The boy snickered, sobering quickly when both Warren and the blond girl pinned him with matching glares.

"Beat it," Warren said dangerously, igniting the fingertips of his free hand. The boy scampered off, but the girl remained.

"Well, well," she said, crossing her arms. "Warren Peace and a squib? How the mighty have fallen. Not so fantastic now, are we Peace?"

Warren shrugged, unconcerned. "Maybe not. But remember Leah: regardless of how shitty I am, I still dumped you."

He gave her a frigid smile and walked off, pulling me helplessly along behind him. He kicked the gym door open and made his way over to Layla, Will, and the others.

"I thought you were leaving," I said as I stumbled to keep up with his long strides.

He made a sound that was somewhere between a sigh and a groan. "I guess not."


	2. Feeling Flushed

2

A few of us—including Warren, much to my chagrin--came back to Will's around 3 a.m. and after I brushed my teeth, I crashed on the loveseat. I awoke the next morning with the mother of all cramps in my neck and shoulders.

I stood and stretched, wincing as my sore muscles tightened. Falling back onto the couch with a moan, I buried my face in my pillow and began making a half-hearted attempt at massaging my neck.

I heard someone rustling blankets and a few muttered curses from the couch across the room. I turned my head to the side to see who it was before I closed my eyes again and whimpered, jabbing at my bunched muscles with my fingertips.

"Don't start on me this early," I said, my voice muffled by the pillow.

I heard shuffling footsteps on the carpet and felt someone sit on the edge of the couch before cool fingers pushed my hand away and slipped under my tank top.

I let my hand fall limply to the floor as Warren began to rub slow circles on my neck. Slowly his hand started to feel warmer, and my muscles loosened appreciatively. I bowed my head, tucking my arms beneath my chest and giving better access to my neck and shoulders, biting back a feline purr.

"You still sleep scrunched up in a ball, don't you?" he asked, rubbing deeper. I grunted a yes. "You wouldn't be so stiff if you didn't."

"Thanks doc," I muttered, moaning as his fingers prodded a particularly nasty knot.

"Shut up and tell me when this gets too hot," he ordered. His left hand moved to hold my left upper arm and he pulled up slightly, pressing down on my right shoulder and heating his now stationary hand almost to the point of pain. He rotated the heel of his hand, and I was unable to hold in a sound that was both a hiss and a moan.

"Are we interrupting something?"

Startled, we both jumped guiltily at the sound of my aunt's voice. Warren stood quickly and I rolled over, tangling myself in my blankets as I tried to get off the couch.

"I had a cramp," I said, shoving my covers away and standing. Aunt Josie stood in the doorway, arms crossed, and my uncle Steve stood just behind her, glaring daggers at Warren. "He was just rubbing it out," I finished lamely.

"Mm-hm," Aunt Josie said, arching a brow at me. She put her hands on her hips. "I know you kids are getting older, feeling more mature and all that, but from now on if anything needs 'rubbed out', can you _not_ do it half naked in my family room?"

My cheeks burned and I looked at Warren, aware for the first time that he was only wearing his jeans, unbuttoned and riding low on his hips. He had gotten a couple of new tattoos since I last saw him in such a state of undress—God help me for noticing.

He wasn't paying attention to anything except my uncle. The two had locked gazes immediately and neither was backing down. Warren was flexing his fingers, his eyes narrowed and jaw clenched. Uncle Steve wasn't much better off, standing braced for battle with a challenge in his eyes.

"Steve? _Steve._"

"Yes honey?" he answered from between clenched teeth.

"Honey, the phone," Aunt Josie said, seemingly oblivious to the tension between the two men. He went to answer it as she bustled around the living room, folding blankets and straightening the furniture.

"Warren, sweetheart, would you mind going and waking Will and Zach? I'll make you guys something to eat before Steve and I go out."

He gave a curt nod, snatching up his white t-shirt and pulling it over his head. He bent, picking up the rest of his things and slinging his book bag over his shoulder before disappearing up the stairs.

"So," Aunt Josie said as she folded one of my blankets. "You kids were out late last night."

"We were hanging out at Layla's," I said, folding a nearby sheet.

"It's good to see you and Warren on such good terms again," she commented. "I was wondering if the two of you would ever be able to be in the same room without glaring at each other."

"I guess," I said vaguely.

"You're still in love with him, huh?" Aunt Josie asked concernedly.

"Aunt Jo, that was years ago," I said, smiling and shaking my head. "You can't take what a teenager thinks is love seriously. I was young and silly."

"What _could_ I have been thinking? Now that you're the ripe old age of 19…" She gave a dramatic sigh. "I'm sure you have everything sorted out."

"Josie," The Commander said, coming back into the living room. "We're needed in Italy."

"Right," Aunt Josie said, taking off her glasses. She kissed my cheek and hurried out of the room to change. "Sorry boys," she said to the trio as they reached the bottom step. "No time to cook, but there's cereal in the cabinets."

Will groaned, turning and trudging back upstairs to go back to bed. I tried not to notice the way Warren's eyes sparked as he watched Uncle Steve. I thought it was very rude to put on The Commander regalia and parade around in front of the son of someone you put in prison for three lifetimes.

"So, what do you guys have planned for today?" Uncle Steve said, taking a sip from his coffee and looking at Zach.

Zach, looking like a deer caught in headlights, immediately started to glow.

I stepped over, thrusting my suitcases at him. "Could you run these up to the guest room for me?"

He nodded and bolted up the stairs.

"Straaange boy," The Commander said turning to my aunt, who had just walked up. She slapped his arm lightly and took his coffee cup, setting it on a table.

"Alright kids, we'll be back later," The Commander said.

"Steve, honey, I was thinking maybe we could spend the night somewhere tonight." Aunt Josie said. "Prague is beautiful this time of year." She turned to me and Warren. "We'll be home tomorrow. Don't destroy the house, and no parties. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am," I called. They were gone in a flash of red, white, and blue and I turned to Warren. "Ok, I'm going to go grab a shower before I get to work on the SSE mainframe."

"If you can do that from here, then why are you going with us tonight?"

"Because," I said, trying to keep my voice neutral. "From here I can poke around a bit. Find my way around the system. But I have to be at the site to tap directly into the surveillance and security lines before I'll be able to manipulate them. Trust me, Peace. I know what I'm doing."

I ran upstairs to the guest room, taking a second to comfort Zach, who was pissed about glowing in front of the Commander. After his pride was soothed, I pilfered through my bags until I found my clean underwear, bra, and tank top. I would have to wear the same jeans until I washed clothes later, but at least I had my hoodie in case it got cold.

I grabbed a quick shower, threw on my under clothes and went downstairs to toss my jeans into the dryer with a softener sheet to dewrinkle them. Once that was done, I dug through my purse until I found my glasses and sat down on the sofa with my laptop. I plopped over onto my stomach, bending my knees and crossing my ankles as my computer booted up.

I had only been working a minute when Zach came in, a bowl of cereal in one hand and a glass of juice in the other. A package of pop-tarts hung from between his teeth.

"Hungry?" I asked, arching a brow.

He nodded, gaze fixed on my panty-clad bottom.

"Oh, for the love of…my eyes are up here!" I said in exasperation.

"Sorry," he said, cheeks coloring slightly. I smiled, shaking my head, and went back to work, listening to the steady sounds of Zach's munching.

The buzzer on the dryer sounded and I got up and padded down the hall. I remembered I needed to brush my teeth as I passed the bathroom. Someone was in the shower, so I gave two quick knocks before opening the door and stepping inside.

"Sorry, gotta brush my teeth," I called. There was an aggrieved sigh before the curtain whipped aside a bit, revealing the dripping hair and wet face of Warren Peace.

"Seriously, do you just stand around trying to think of something you can do to piss me off?" he asked in that I'm-bored-but-really-annoyed tone of voice.

"No, the ideas just come to me. Like visions from God," I said, turning my face to heaven and placing a hand over my heart. I flipped him off, turned to the sink, and started brushing my teeth.

"You need to get dressed," he said, flipping the curtain closed.

I spit and put my toothbrush back, wiping my mouth on the back of my hand. "I'm on my way there now, so don't worry. I wouldn't want to corrupt you or anything," I said sarcastically.

Unable to resist, I reached down and flipped the handle on the toilet, which flooded the shower with frigid water. Warren's curses rang through the house as I continued to the laundry room, a smug smile on my face.

-

-

_**Christmas Eve  
Junior Year**_

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Hot cookies, coming through!" I said, laying the cookie sheet on the counter. "Aunt Josie, your hot pads suck."

"Here, honey," my mom said, tossing me a dish towel. There was a roar of male voices from the living room and the three of us looked at each other and rolled our eyes.

"Nothing says Christmas like action movies," Mom said. "What is it this year?"

"Braveheart," I said, watching through the doorway.

"Again?" Aunt Josie asked. "Lex, honey, when you get married, make sure you marry a man who likes the same things as you. Ok?"

My thoughts immediately went to Warren. We had been seeing each other unofficially, as in every time the group of us got together, we would sit together.

_Close _together.

There had been a few quick kisses in the darkness of Magenta's back seat, but we still just considered ourselves "friends-with-benefits".

"What are you talking about?" My mom asked, pulling me from my thoughts. "She loves that movie just as much as they do. I'll bet you she'd be in there if we weren't making her bake, just like mom always made us do."

I laughed and sat beside my mom and picked up a cookie cutter as she rolled sugar cookie dough. Just then, the back door opened and Layla bounded inside, her cheeks pink from the cold. I watched as Aunt Josie's potted mint turned a deeper green and grew taller, bewitched by Layla's good mood.

"Merry Christmas, other family," the girl trilled. "I just wanted to pop over before everything got busy," she said, picking up a cookie. The doorbell sounded, but there was no movement from the living room to answer it.

"Steve," Aunt Josie called sweetly. "Will you get the door?"

Ding-dong…

"Steve, honey," she called, a bit more forcefully as she slopped cake batter into a pan.

"It's probably just some carolers," Uncle Steve said distractedly.

Diiing-doong…

"Steve Stronghold!" Aunt Josie shouted. "Answer that door!"

"I'll get it, Aunt Jo," I said, tossing the snowman cookie cutter to Layla. I ran to the door and pulled it open, smiling happily to find Warren Peace standing there.

"Hey!"

"Hey," he said. He tucked his hands into his coat pockets and motioned toward the porch swing. "You got a second? I know you guys are doing the family thing, but…" he trailed off, lifting his eyes from mine to the direction of the living room.

Uncle Steve and my dad—Aquarius, aka Stanley Lewis, Jr. or "Big Stan" to those he dealt with at the car dealership—were glowering at Warren from the couch. Will, ever oblivious, glanced over, waved, and went back to watching the movie.

"Maybe I should just come back some other time," he said, eyeing the men evenly.

"It's fine," I said, still smiling. I pulled him through the door. "Dad, this is Warren. Warren, my dad."

"Warren," Dad said stiffly.

"We'll be upstairs," I said, biting my lip and leading the way to the staircase.

"I can see through buildings, bucko," my dad called. "Just keep that in mind while you're alone with my daughter."

"He can't really," I whispered, turning and giving my dad and uncle a death glare and making the 'cut it out or you're both dead meat' sign across my throat.

I took him to Will's room, where all of my stuff was stationed for the holidays. Warren looked a little relieved that we were out of the direct line of parental fire. We sat in an awkward silence for a minute before I laughed nervously.

"Weird, isn't it?" I said. "I think this is the first time we've actually been alone since I met you."

He smiled a bit, and his gaze flicked from my eyes to my mouth, where I was still gnawing nervously on my lip.

"You scared of me?" he asked teasingly, arching a brow.

"Nope," I said as I turned on the CD I had in Will's CD player. Tito & Tarantula's _Strange Face of Love _began playing softly.

"Prove it," he challenged, holding his arms away from his side and flashing a mischievous grin.

I returned his grin and walked to him. I tucked my fingers into the back pockets of my jeans and tilted my head back to look him square in the eye.

"Is the ever-brooding Warren Peace actually being playful?" I asked, feigning shock.

He chuckled and wrapped his hands around my hips, drawing me closer to him. "Even I'm allowed to smile now and then," he said.

He dipped his head until I could feel his breath fanning against my lips. They instantly parted, as difficult to get into as a NOLA prostitute at Mardi Gras. He hovered momentarily, teasing, until I rose on my toes and closed the distance between our mouths. The kiss was hot, hard, demanding...the physical manifestation of passion.

My fingers bunched in the hair that brushed the back of his neck. His hand slid up my torso until it cupped my breast through the layers of my clothes. I leaned my head back as his lips and teeth burned a trail down my neck. His thumb brushed once, twice, a third time over the sensitive peak of my breast until I was arching in, seeking more of his touch.

"Your awfully brave considering your parents are just downstairs," he said between kisses as I unzipped his jacket. My hands slipped under his layered shirts and explored the textures of his body.

"Shut up, Warren," I said, smiling and pulling his mouth back to mine. The hand that had been sitting snugly on my hip slowly began making its way lower, smoothing over my butt and gripping the back of my thigh. He hitched my leg up, lifting me as he did so, so that I had no choice but to wrap my legs around his hips. His actions caught me by surprise and I let out a small squeak and laughed.

"Shhhh," he said, laughing quietly, setting me down on Will's desk. Our mouths returned to their ministrations, leaving both of us hot and breathless.

"God, Warren," I sighed. I winced a bit as he bit the flesh at my shoulder, but the slick rasp of his tongue immediately soothed the sting. He lifted his head and rested his forehead against mine.

"I don't want you to get in trouble," he said.

"We'd better go back downstairs then," I said hoarsely. "It's safer."

He gave a scoff of laughter and kissed my forehead, helping me down from the desk. "Yeah, for you maybe."

We straightened our clothes and tried to look like we _weren't_ two horny teenagers. We were only upstairs for a little while, but by the time we got downstairs the men had abandoned Mel Gibson for homemade cookies. Warren stepped off the step and I caught the sleeve of his jacket between my fingers. Suddenly nervous, I began working my lip again.

He reached up, smoothing his thumb over my bottom lip. "What?" he asked.

"What are we?" I asked. "I mean, not that I'm trying to be pushy or anything, 'cause I'm not. I was just wondering so I'd kinda have some sort of basis to go on next time we hang out, whether we're boyfriend/girlfriend or friends or whatever," I rushed out, pausing when I had to take a breath.

He smiled, glancing over his shoulder toward the kitchen before leaning over and kissing me softly on the lips. "What do you want to be?" he whispered.

"Truthfully?"

He nodded.

"I would really, _really_ like to have a boyfriend before I graduate high school," I said lightly. I gave an embarrassed laugh. "Wanna be my boyfriend?" I asked in a valley-girl accent.

Warren smiled and leaned in once more, letting his lips stay on mine a little longer this time. "I guess so," he said simply before turning and walking to the door.


	3. Secrets and Secret Missions

3

"Ok, so this is the safety zone," Ethan said, pointing to the layout of the SSE building. There was a thin red line drawn down the center of the map. "The guards can't venture out this far away from the building, because they risk exposing the lab. We'll take Zach's cargo van and park it here. Lex can use the back to set up shop."

"I wandered around for a bit earlier, so it shouldn't take me very long to get back into their system. Once I get past their alarms, I'll rework the pass codes so that you guys can get in, but they can't. I'll hook Ethan, Will, and Magenta's laptops to the video feed, that way I'll have all angles covered."

"Ethan, Zach, and me are going to the technology lab," Magenta said. "The halls are pretty well guarded, but there are vents leading to it, so that'll be our way in."

"Yeah, Warren, Layla and I will go through the halls and create a distraction once we've taken out their computer information system in the main lab."

"Sounds like a plan," I said, closing my laptop with a soft snick.

--

"Ok guys, I've got video feed. And the three little pigs are good to go in 3, 2, 1…now," I said, speaking into the audio headset. "Are my 'Jacks' and Jill ready?" I asked, referring to Will, Warren, and Layla.

"Ready," came the reply.

"Ok…go. You've got a 25 second window." I sat back against the cool metal of the van, watching the video on the monitors of the laptops.

Ethan, Magenta, and Zach knew where they were going, thanks to Ethan, so I focused on watching Will, Layla, and Warren's backs.

"Jack Sprat, take the next left," I said, watching as Warren led the way down the corridor.

"Am I Jack Sprat?" Will asked in a whisper.

"I'm Jack Sprat, you're Jack Horner," Warren corrected. He spoke directly into the microphone on the headset, looking into the camera. "And the one who thought up these stupid code names is a mother—"

"Goose," I interjected quickly. "Shut up, Warren."

"We've got the HiN, we're on our way out now," Zach said.

I looked at the techno lab surveillance and watched as Ethan scrambled back into the vent, then Zach lifted Magenta up (copping a feel of her butt as he did so) before pulling himself through the small opening.

I turned back to the cameras covering the main lab and chewed my lip as Warren and Will entered the newly modified pass code into the security keypad.

"There are 3 workers inside," I said. "Once you are in, immobilize them and put them out the door. They won't be able to reopen them."

"We're in," Layla said.

The doors slid open and the three scientists scrambled for their weapons. Warren threw a fireball at one while Will clunked the other two heads together. Warren drug one out and Will hefted his two over his shoulders, tossing them out the door.

"Theee area is...secure," Will said in a William Shatner impression.

"We're good," Zach said. I glanced at the outside security cameras and sure enough, Magenta, Ethan, and Zach were high-tailing it out of the air shaft.

"The pigs are clear," I said, letting the others know.

"Well that was easy," Will said.

"Layla and I are going to check the holding cells," Warren said.

"Ok, I'll take care of this," Will said. I looked at the video and saw him gathering his strength to take out the computer mainframe. On the feed coming from the hallway, two security guards were making their rounds. It would only be a matter of minutes before they discovered the intruders.

"Shit. You guys had better get a move on. You've got two guards coming your way. Guys?" I tapped my earpiece. Silence.

I looked back at the screen and saw that the SSE computer was now in shambles. The electromagnetic charge from the demolished computer must have fried the circuts on the audio headsets. They were now driving blind.

"What's going on?" Ethan said as he climbed into the van. Magenta got in the passenger seat and Zach climbed behind the wheel.

"The audio's out and they've got guards on them," I said, not taking my eyes from the screen.

Warren helped two men from a holding cell, kicking in the power draining sensors and stepping back as one man promptly disappeared. He threw the other man's arm across his shoulders and he and Layla half carried him back to where Will was. They talked for a minute, looking around for the emergency exit.

Something shot through the electronic doors, and slowly the doors began to open. Will got on the other side of the prisoner and togther, he and Warren drug the man into another division of the lab. I lost them momentarily, but they soon were in line of a camera again. Will punched the wall, knocking brick and mortar onto the floor. After a few punches daylight was visible and he pulled a larger chunk of the wall out.

The guards--now a full division--burst through the doors, weapons drawn, and split up searching out the separate sections of the lab. Will helped Layla crawl through the wall, following, and Warren helped the other man through before taking Will's hand and hauling himself out.

I threw my headset off and shoved Ethan out of the way as I tore out of the van. Lights flashed along the building and a glowing green bubble surrounded the compound. The three heroes were running across the open field, almost to safety. Four guards chased them.

"Damn! That's a diffuser field. Their powers are neutralized until they get out of it!" Magenta said.

"Go! Go! Go!" Warren shouted at Will. He looked back over his shoulder at the guards. I watched helplessly as the guard stopped and pointed his unusual-looking gun at Will's back. Warren saw it too and shouted a warning, turning and diving in front of Will just as the man fired.

I saw Warren take the shot and stumble, his hand grasping immediately at his chest, but he pushed himself up and ran again. They crossed the border and dove into the opened doors of the cargo van and Zach lay on the gas. Will and the escapee sat against the driver and passenger seats next to Ethan. Warren propped against the side opposite the door. Layla sat against the back doors, panting.

"Oh my God," I said as blood seeped through Warren's fingers. A dark crimson stain was slowly spreading over his shirt and sweat trickled down his forehead.

"Shit," Will said, panicked. "Hospital, Zach. Now!"

He reached for what looked like a cross-bow bolt, but when he touched it visible volts of electricity raced along his body. He and Warren screamed in agony. Will finally pried his hand away, falling unconscious as fire broke out along Warren's body.

"No! You can't!" the new guy shouted as Layla moved to help Warren. "The same thing will happen to you," he explained in his New York accent. He looked at us, his eyes dark and desperate, as he explained.

"I've seen these bolts in action. Once they're inserted into the skin of a hero, no other hero can get near them without being electrocuted and doing considerable damage to the infected person."

"So...what? We just let him die?" Magenta demanded.

"No way in hell," I said savagely. I crawled over to him, and the dark haired man grabbed my arm.

"Your powers will kill him," he said, looking helpless.

"I don't have any powers," I said, jerking my arm away. I tossed my hair out of my eyes as I brought my hands to the bolt. Warren cut his eyes over to me and clenched his teeth as he brought one of his hands up to cover mine.

"One...two..." I drew a deep breath. "Three."

I pulled, wanting to sob at the sound of pain that was torn from Warren's throat. He fell limp, and I silently prayed he was just unconsious and that I hadn't killed him. I crushed the bolt with the heel of my combat boot and threw the pieces out the window.

I unzipped my hoodie and pulled off my tank top, pressing the material to Warren's bleeding wound.

"Here, let me help."

The man moved to sit on the other side of Warren, cautiously reaching his hand to the wound. When nothing happened he began working effortlessly, tearing Warren's shirt open and applying my shirt to stop the bloodflow.

I pulled my hoodie back on and he took my hand, placing it over my folded tank top and applying pressure.

"Who are you?" I asked the man as I watched him move to Will, checking his vitals.

"Name's Peter. Peter Petrelli," he said. "How far to the hospital?" he asked Zach.

"We're there," Zach replied, cutting the wheel sharply and stopping. He and Magenta jumped out and raced around the bay doors, shouting at lingering doctors and nurses. Magenta helped Ethan with Will while Zach helped me with Warren.

"Come on," I said to Peter as Layla drew his arm around her shoulders. "You need to get checked out too."

-

They had Warren in the back for two hours and seventeen minutes. I know, because I paced the waiting room the whole time.

Will had awakened shortly after we arrived, and Peter was fine, thanks to the doctor's ability to heal.

Literally.

Peter's power, as it turns out, is mimicry and he can use any hero's power that he is around. So when he was around the doc who had the power of regeneration, Peter absorbed it and fixed himself.

He sat with Layla, Will and Zach, Ethan and Magenta having gone to the cafeteria for coffee.

"So you can take anyone's powers?" Zach asked.

"I can only keep them as long as they're around, but yeah. I can't use too many at once though and once I'm away from anyone with powers it's kinda like withdrawls. I get really sick, but it only lasts a little while."

"Dude, that's awesome," Zach said, impressed.

Those of us whose parents weren't out working showed up, furious of course that we hadn't told them what we were planning. Aunt Josie and Uncle Steve had been notified and would be on their way as soon as they finished their mission.

My own mom and dad spared no time cornering me and giving me the "you-don't-have-any-powers-you-could-have-been-killed-what-were-you-thinking" speech. I saw the doctor who had left with Warren come through the double doors and pushed between my parents to go to him.

"How is he?"

"Whatever was in that bullet really messed with his system, but he's stable now. We have him sedated," he said.

"What room?" I asked.

"Visiting hours are--"

"What. Room." I repeated more forcefully.

The doctor sighed. "319. But he's heavily sedated. He won't be awake until morning," the doctor said, but I was already going through the double doors and heading to Warren's room. I might just be his ex-girlfriend, but dammit all, I couldn't stand the thought of him being hurt like this. Even if it was his idea to break my heart into a million pieces and do a Mexican hat dance on them.

-

**Narrative POV**

_**FEBRUARY 13th  
Senior Year**_

"Alright Stan, if you think it's a good idea I'll bring it up at the next League meeting. Sorry again for waking you."

"No problem, Steve."

Steve Stronghold waved to his brother-in-law and tucked his hands in his pockets, absently whistling a song by the Beatles as he walked down the sidewalk. It was late—or early, depending on how you wanted to look at it—and the streets were empty and silent.

He turned to look at the side of the house when he noticed something moving out of the corner of his eye. His brows furrowed as he saw a body half emerged from his niece's bedroom window. He knew immediately that it was Warren Peace, and his frown deepened.

Lex leaned forward and took the boy's face between her hands, kissing him soundly. She smiled as he withdrew onto the roof of a small storage building beneath her window.

Steve crossed the yard and leaned casually against the side of the shed as Warren scrambled down. The teen dropped to his feet, jolting mightily at the sight of another person. He recovered quickly, immediately assuming a stoic expression.

"You're out late," Steve said.

"I didn't know enforcing juvenile curfew was in your job description," Warren replied.

Steve ignored that and looked up at Lex's darkened window. "She's a good kid."

Warren remained silent.

"I get that the two of you are…close. Why else would you be sneaking out of her room at 3 a.m.? But her being with you isn't smart. I don't know what you did, but Lex shouldn't have anything to do with your life outside of what you two might see each other when you hang out with Will."

"Lex is with me because she wants to be. I didn't twist her arm," Warren said, his voice shaking with anger.

"And what happens when you graduate and get involved with whatever Power League?" Steve demanded. "Lex is a squib, for God's sake. She doesn't have any powers to defend herself."

"I'll protect Lex. I can take care of her."

"Oh? Like your father took care of your mother?"

"Don't talk about by father," Warren said as his eyes flamed.

Steve pushed away from the shed and pointed a finger at Warren. "I will talk about him, because it is something that you need to face. Do you think your father's old enemies just forgot about his debts?"

"You were his enemy. You're the one who arrested him, remember?"

"Forget me, kid. I'm talking about the other villains. The people that would just as soon kill you as look at you just to get at your father. Christ, boy, you're not even out of Sky High yet and you've probably already got a list of people waiting to have a shot at you." Steve stepped closer, drawing a steadying breath. "Or, what happens if your anger gets the best of you and you join your father's old pals? What if Lex gets caught in the middle?"

Warren was about to reply, but Steve's cell phone rang. "Yeah? Yeah, honey. No, I'm at a gas station. Yeah, I'll be home soon. Love you too." He closed the phone and returned it to his pocket.

"Just…do me a favor and forget for five seconds that I'm the one who pointed all that out to you, and just think about it. Do what's right for Lex. You can hate me even more for it later."

Warren watched The Commander cross the street and drive away in his mid-sized sedan. He looked down at his clenched fists, opening them and flexing his fingers. His knuckles glowed white-hot, but he had controlled his anger and hadn't powered up fully. He looked up at Lex's window.

He jumped up and grabbed the awning of the shed, hauling himself up to walk gingerly across the old roof. He stood outside Lex's room and peered through the darkness. Moonlight spilled across her face as she slept. She looked so soft, so fragile.

As much as he hated to admit it, Steve Stronghold was right. Warren clenched his jaw and swallowed the lump in his throat. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened to Lex because of him.

He had to distance himself from her.


	4. Current and Past Issues

**4**

I entered Warren's hospital room quietly and pulled a chair close to his bedside.

His hair was loose and brushed away from his face. His face was softened in sleep and he looked a lot younger than he was. I had noticed that a long time ago and said something to him about it. It had made him laugh.

I would have given anything to hear him laugh now instead of the only sound being the beeping of his monitors.

"Alright butthead," I said. "Leave it to you—the most difficult person I've ever met in my life—to end up in here because of some big heroic action."

_Beep...beep…beep…_

I reached out and lay my hand over his, linking our fingers. For the first time, his skin was cold.

I stayed with him a long time, chatting about random things just to have something going on other than that incessant beeping. I ignored the nurses when they would come in, just as they would ignore me. My eyelids started to droop a bit, so I leaned in and rested my head on the blanket.

-

Daylight streamed through the closed blinds when I woke. At some point during the night, I had draped myself across the bed. My head rested on Warren's stomach, and his fingers were twined in my hair. I smiled softly against the firm pillow of Warren's belly and giving in to the first-waking-up delirium, I turned my face inward, burrowing closer.

His fingers flexed in my hair and he pulled his hand away, signaling his awakening. I turned my face to him, still resting my cheek against his torso.

"G'morning," I muttered sleepily. I sat up and stretched, popping my back as I did so and grunting in appreciation.

There was a brief knock on the door and a cute Hispanic nurse came into the room. "Good morning, Mr. Peace. Oh, and guest! How nice. I'm just going to refill your fluids and check your IVs, so just pretend I'm not here."

Nurses say that like it is possible, but since I have a serious problem with needles and Warren doesn't do well with pain, the two of us were both very aware of her presence.

By the time she finished, I was feeling a little squeamish and Warren was a few shades paler than he had been earlier.

"Ok, all done. There's an awful lot of people who want to see you, Mr. Peace. Should I send for a nurse to help you bathe or…" she looked at me and winked conspiratorially. "Or is it taken care of?"

"No, no." I said, rising. My cheeks burned and I wanted to get away from this woman before I did serious damage to her happy-go-lucky, 34-DD personage.

"By all means, send for a nurse. Later, Warren." I said, waving as I pulled the door closed.

Everyone wanted to go see Warren—including Uncle Steve, which I found very odd—and since I didn't want to risk another encounter with Nurse Penthouse, I stayed back in the waiting room with my dad. It wasn't long before he got called away on business and Peter joined me.

"You ok?" I asked. He looked pale and was moving slowly, but he smiled.

"Yeah, it's nothing." He waved his hand. "It's just power overload. I'll be alright."

"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't even think about the effects the hospital would have on you."

I moved to his side and placed my fingers against his cheek. "Oh, God. You're burning up. Come on," I said, holding my hand out to him.

"Where are we going?" he asked, taking my hand and standing.

"Out of here. I'll take you to my dorm," I said. "It's a completely power-free environment. I need a shower anyway."

-

A couple of hours later, after I had showered and given my roommate a call about the guy that would be on our couch, I headed back to the hospital. I learned from the day nurse that Warren would be discharged the next morning, but still had a few tests to do that night.

Will was the only one left at the hospital. Everyone else had papers due or tests to study for and had to go home for a while at Warren's insistence. I sat next to my cousin and stared blankly at the TV screen mounted on the wall.

"When did life get so complicated?"

"Freshman year," Will said without skipping a beat. I smiled and laughed a little.

"I think I'll go in and sit with Warren for a while," I said, standing.

"Hey Lex?" Will called. "You aren't like, falling for Warren again, are you?"

"Not that I know of," I said, picking at the sleeve of my sweater.

"I just…I know it was tough on you last time, and I don't want you to get hurt again."

I threw him a small smile and rolled my eyes. "Will, I'm pretty sure I can handle Warren Peace."

"Ok, ok. Just trying to help," he said, holding his hands up in mock-surrender. "Do me a favor and tell Warren I've got to get a few things taken care of."

I waved goodbye to my cousin and went through the double doors and down the hall to Warren's room. He was sleeping again, but I had come prepared and pulled a mystery novel out of my back pocket.

I fully immersed myself in my book, not noticing when Warren woke up.

"The brother did it."

I jumped, dropping my book and clamping a hand to my chest.

"Jesus!"

I huffed out a breath and picked up my book, narrowing my eyes in a fierce scowl. "Thanks."

Warren's teeth flashed as he grinned. He raised his arms and stretched, hissing in pain when the bandage on the right side of his chest pulled. I automatically sat forward in concern.

"It's fine," he said between clenched teeth. He exhaled slowly. "I guess I'm just not used to having a hole in my chest."

"Guess not," I said dryly as I sat back. "So the brother did it?"

"You really wanna know?"

"Sure."

"He killed the chick so the husband would go to jail and he could have access to their stuff."

"That's what I figured," I said, tossing the now useless book onto the bedside table.

"So…" I said, propping my feet on the side of the bed.

"So."

We sat in silence for a few minutes before Warren looked at me.

"Why are you here again?" he asked.

"To keep you company," I said, refusing to be annoyed. "So what did you and my Uncle talk about earlier?"

"None of your business," he said conversationally. "Why'd you stay here all night last night?"

"Because," I said.

"Because why?"

"Because I wanted to make sure you didn't die."

"You were worried about me?" he asked, arching an arrogant brow.

I stared at him impassively. "I wanted to make sure I hadn't ruined my favorite tank top for nothing," I said dryly, looking away as I smiled.

"So you took that Peter guy to your place. You two got chummy awfully fast," he said, propping one hand behind his head and bending one knee beneath the blankets.

"Yeah. He's pretty cool," I said a bit absently as I picked up Warren's chart. "They'll be here soon to take you to your last scan," I said, checking my watch.

"Oh good. More drugs," Warren said closing his eyes as his lips curled into a small smile.

My stomach churned loudly and I realized I hadn't eaten anything all day.

"Yikes. That's attractive," Warren deadpanned, not opening his eyes.

"Shut up," I said, laughing.

Warren turned his head and looked at me, his ebony eyes sparkling and hypnotic in the bright lights of the hospital room. The cocky smile slid from his face as he looked at me hard.

"Go get something to eat," he said at length, looking away and closing his eyes again.

I stood and stretched. "Fine, but I will be back after your tests."

"Joy."

I ignored his sarcasm and went downstairs to the cafeteria. I called Layla on the way to keep me company. We talked for a few minutes about the events of the past couple of days before she timidly asked how Peter was doing.

"He was fine when I left. A little weak, maybe, but he was already asleep on my couch by the time I got out of the shower." My lips curled into an all-knowing smile. "You could go by and check on him, you know."

"Whaaaat? No, it's no big. I was just curious, that's all."

"Mm-hmm…"

"Don't give me that disbelieving grunt. I mean, for crying out loud, the man just got out of a two week SSE confinement! It would be totally wrong for me to—"

"To go check on him and bring him dinner? Oh, yeah, I definitely see what you mean. I feel naughty just talking about it." I said as I took a bite of microwave burrito.

"Well what about you, Miss I-hate-Warren-but-I'm-spending-every-available-second-with-him?"

"That has absolutely nothing to do with what we were just talking about."

"I love how yesterday you two were at each others throats like normal, then one brush with death later you forgive and forget. It's the stuff of movies," the hippie gushed.

"I didn't forget it, Layla. I'm just…I'm growing up, ya know? I can't keep holding on to crap that happened when we were kids."

"Oh, B.S. You don't make a turn around like that unless there're still feelings involved."

"Why does everyone assume that Warren Peace is this irresistible God-like being that no woman can resist? I mean, seriously!" I demanded, ripping another bite of burrito and chewing with gusto.

"Take it easy, babe. I'm just pointing out that obviously he doesn't hate you as much as you hated him, because he hasn't told you to leave."

I rolled that thought around in my head for a bit. Warren hadn't told me to leave. Come to think of it, he hadn't really even been all that snarky yet.

"Lex, I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to remember that this is me." Layla said.

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like this?"

"Do you…do you still love Warren?"

"He broke my heart, Lay," I said miserably.

"I know he did, honey, but that's not really an answer."

What was a good answer? I had done nothing but fight and seethe with Warren since Junior year. He pushed my buttons, and I pushed his. Everything in me has wanted to hate him (and had the right to hate him) since we broke up.

But visions of his pained face and bloody chest flashed unbidden into my mind's eye, and my stomach clenched in remembered panic. I realized then that try as I might, I'd never be able to hate Warren.

"Yeah," I whispered. "Dammit, Layla. What am I supposed to do? I've spent so much time fighting with him, I don't know if I can fix it."

"Oh, honey," Layla said sympathetically. "It'll either be, or it won't. Nothing you could do would fix it if it isn't supposed to be."

"So…I'm just supposed to be a Watts?" I asked, referring to a character in the movie _Some Kind of Wonderful_.

"They were really good friends even though she was in love with him," Layla said. "Besides, Watts and Keith ended up fine at the end."

"Layla, that was a movie. Not only that, but Watts had her heart ripped out first. Been there, done that, remember? I don't think I can go down that road again."

"I'm sorry, Lex. I only know how to cover the "admittance and acceptance" part of therapy. Maybe you could talk to your mom about what happens next." Layla said, sounding hard-pressed.

I gave a snort of derision. "My pop almost had kittens when he found out last time that I was going out with Barron Battle's son. I can just imagine what happens when mom tells him that I'm still in love with him. This is all your fault!" I exclaimed, laying my head on my arm. "I could still be pretending I didn't really like him all that much, but noooo…"

"Sorry! When one's mind and soul aren't in harmony, one's universe is thrown off balance!"

"Thank you Obi-Wan," I mumbled. Sighing, I sat back up and gathered up my trash. "Oh well. My pop's reaction is nothing compared to when your mom finds out about Peter."

"What about Peter?!" Layla squeaked.

"His brother is some sort of politician," I said, tucking my tongue between my teeth in a maliciously wicked grin. "A government flunkie."

"Oh, man."

"Oh ho-ho! But I don't see what the big deal is, since you're not interested anyway."

"Shut up," Layla said, laughing quietly amidst her groan. "Ok, fine. Yes, I do find Peter appealing. Happy?"

"I'd be happier if you'd take him some dinner," I said. "It'd go a long way to mending my currently shredded universe," I added to persuade her more.

Layla sighed. "Alright, alright. I'll go."

-

I went for a walk and thought about my conversation with Layla. After much debate with myself, I decided that I could in fact be Warren's friend, regardless of the sudden (and somewhat unwelcome) resurfacing of adolescent feelings.

I was just as much of a sucker for the guy now as I had been when we were dating.

By the time I got back to the hospital room, Warren was asleep. Probably a drug induced sleep, if I had to guess. The nurse had brought a fold out cot for me to use and a few extra blankets, so I made my bed and stretched out. I kicked off my shoes and tugged off my sweater, unfastening my bra and pulling it out from under my stretchy cotton camisole. I sighed in appreciation and it wasn't long before I drifted off to sleep.

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**Valentine's Day  
Senior Year**_

I checked the clock. 8:47. Two minutes later than last time I checked...

Warren was obviously running a bit late. An hour and 47--48--minutes late, if you were counting. Which I wasn't. He was supposed to have picked me up for the Valentine's banquet at 7 o'clock.

"Where's your date?" my brother asked, smirking but never looking up from his video game.

"Shut up, Neil," I said, propping my foot on the coffee table and bending over to fix the buckle on my strappy sandal. My brother shot an ice ball and hit me in the butt.

"Ow! Moooom!"

"Neil, leave your sister alone," my mom said from the kitchen.

I picked up the phone and dialed Warren's number, not surprised when he didn't pick up.

"That's it," I muttered. I slung my hoodie on over my dress and grabbed my keys from the rack next to the door. "Mom, I'm going to Warren's," I called.

"Have a good time," my mom said. I flipped my brother off as he stood up and made air hump motions.

The drive to Warren's was quick, and Layla called just as I pulled into the parking lot of his apartment building.

"Where are you guys?" Layla asked, raising her voice over the music and noise of the party.

"I'm at Warren's now. I dunno, I guess he's running behind or something."

"This isn't going to be like the Fourth of July party is it?"

I smiled, my cheeks burning. The night of Ethan's Fourth of July party was the first time Warren and I spent the night together. My parents are blissfully unaware that I spent the night making my own fireworks in Warren's bed as opposed to bunking on Ethan's living room floor with Layla and Magenta.

We spent as much time together as we could after that night, at his place or mine. We discovered that the small storage building behind my house granted perfect access to my bedroom window and took advantage of that as often as possible, including last night.

"Dunno," I said, getting back to Layla. "Let me let you go. I'll call you when we're on our way."

"Ok. See you."

I hung up and gathered my skirts, tossing my cell phone into my passenger seat. I climbed the three flights to Warren's apartment and my feet screamed in protest against the high heeled sandals I wore. I knocked and waited. And waited.

And waited.

I knocked again before trying the knob. Locked. I heard movement from inside, so I called his name. Still nothing. I reached up and pulled two bobbypins out of my hair. I inserted one into the lock and straightened the other one, slipping it into the mechanism. I twisted, smiling with the lock clicked unlocked.

I opened the door and stepped inside. "Warren," I called. He was sprawled on the couch, one arm propped behind his head, bare-chested and barefoot, dressed only in a pair of tattered jeans.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Are you sick?"

"How did you get in here?" he asked. I showed him my makeshift lock-pick.

"Skills of a misspent youth," I said sheepishly. "Did you forget about the party?"

"No."

I waited for him to say something else, but that was all that came out. "So why didn't you come pick me up?"

He sighed and tossed the remote control onto the floor before standing. "Don't you get tired of bugging me all the time? I know I sure as hell get tired of it," he snapped as he brushed past me and went to his bedroom.

His words stung like a slap to the face, but I was confused. Everything had been going fine, hadn't it?

"What's wrong with you?" I asked, following him.

"This," he said, turning and pointing between the two of us. "This isn't working out for me. You being here all the time, calling and coming over...I don't like company all that much. I mean, don't get me wrong, Lex. The sex was decent, but I think it's time that we go our separate ways. I'm a hero, you're not. There's nothing we can do about it, no matter how much we want to change that."

"I...I've never even thought about changing that," I said quietly.

"Well, I have," he said.

He had?

"You should go. I've got to work in the morning," he said, moving to the bedside table and setting his clock.

I bowed my head, trying to hold back my tears, when it hit me...This was Valentine's Day. I was getting dumped by my first boyfriend on _Valentine's Day._

"Are you kidding me?!"

He looked back at me. "What?"

"You can't break up with someone on Valentine's Day, asshole!" I screeched. "It's some kind of sick, twisted psychological issue that you have isn't it? You're like an emotional incubus, sucking any sliver of joy and goodness from someone and replacing it with misery and defeat."

The tears were coming now, unstoppable in their torrents and fueled by anger and hurt.

"I'm sorry," Warren said with a small shrug. "I really am, Lex, but it just isn't reasonable for us to keep seeing each other, aside from at Will's or something. It's just not in the cards for us."

I clenched my jaw and straightened, giving a humorless, sardonic chuckle and shaking my head. "No," I said, staring him in the eye. "I guess not."

I left, slamming the door with enough force that people stuck their heads out of their apartments to see what was going on. I cried in my car and I stopped at the park near my house until I calmed down enough to go home. I was mad, hurt, and stunned.

When I had myself under control, I called Will, who put me on with Layla. I told them what had happened and assured them both that I was fine. I told them that when we all got together and hung out that it would be a tense couple of weeks, but once the initial shock wore off, everything would be fine.

They seemed satisfied with that and after a few more minutes of asking if I wanted them to come over, I was able to get off the phone. I went home, locking myself alone in my room.

Not that anyone noticed, since my parents were out on a mission and my brother had flown his girlfriend to Paris for Valentine's Day, leaving me, the squib, alone to cry myself to sleep.


	5. Decisions, Decisions

**5**

I don't know what time it was when I woke up, but the hospital was bustling with activity. I sat up and tossed my hair out of my eyes, yawning mightily. Warren was already awake and looking pissy.

I watched as he struggled with a package of cereal bars before he gave up and chucked them across the room with a curse.

I kicked the sheet away from my feet and padded over to the offending breakfast food and scooped it up, opening the mangled package by tearing a slit with my teeth. I handed the bars out to Warren.

"I didn't need your help," he said as he snatched the snack from me.

"Mm…I could tell," I replied.

He ate in sullen silence, ignoring me when I disappeared into the bathroom to redress. When I came out, I pulled a chair closer to the bed and propped my feet up.

"So what time do you think you'll get out of here?" I asked idly.

"No one is making you stay," Warren said as he flipped the TV stations.

"I know. I was just wondering, jeez."

"Just because you suddenly decide to be nice to me again, doesn't mean that anything's going to happen between us," Warren said, still not looking at me. He tossed the remote back onto the table and sat up, trying to keep from wincing.

"What's your malfunction today?" I asked unconcernedly. "You weren't so damn crotchety yesterday."

"Yesterday I was pumped full of drugs. Today I'm not," he said as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.

I pushed my chair back to give him more room and stood up. "Should you be up and stuff?" He gave me a look that would whither a cactus, but I persisted. "Will you just chill out? Get back in bed before you pull out all of your—"

He reached up and slipped the IV needles from his arms. I fought the urge to gag as my skin crawled and my stomach flipped. Warren reached back and snapped the ties on his hospital gown, pulling it off before wadding the ruined garment and tossing it in the direction of a garbage can.

"Seriously, what is your problem?" I demanded.

"You. Ok? You are my problem," he said as he slipped his arms into a white button-down shirt. "You've been my problem for two years."

"Me? Look, Peace. I'm just trying to be nice so that maybe one day we can be actual friends again," I said, tucking my thumbs in my pockets.

Warren dropped his hands from his buttons and sighed, finally looking at me. His black eyes looked sad for a brief instant before he shielded his expression.

"I can't be friends with you, Alexis. Acquaintances, yes. Friends-of-friends, yeah. But I cannot be friends with you again."

"Do you really hate me that much?" I asked curiously. "God, Warren. _You_ broke up with _me_, remember? Give me a reason why you can't be my friend."

He turned away from me and began to shove the other clothes that Will had brought him back into his duffle bag. I stepped closer to him and lay a hand on his bicep.

"You owe me a reason," I said.

He moved so fast it didn't register, and the next thing I knew my body was tight against his, his hand cupping my head as his mouth bruised mine. He turned, pressing me between him and the wall and moving his hands to cup my face. He broke away, resting one hand at the crook of my neck and bracing the other on the wall beside my head.

I opened my eyes and felt my breath catch at the intensity in his. The oily black depths were licked with flames; something I learned long ago meant he was struggling hard with his control.

He shoved himself away from the wall and snatched up his bag, leaving without a word or a backward glance.

---------------------------------------

I phoned work and told them that I would be out for the day before gathering up my things and leaving the hospital. I opted to go to my dorm instead of going to Will's. My roommate, Janine, had already gone for the morning when I got home, but Peter was shuffling from the kitchen as I sat my things down.

"You look like walking death," I commented.

He stopped and looked at me, hitching the corner of his mouth in a crooked smile.

"You don't look spring fresh yourself."

I shrugged in agreement. "Did you get any rest?"

"Yeah. Layla brought me some kind of herby tea stuff and it knocked me right out," Peter said, crashing on the couch.

"Good," I said as I rifled through Janine's closet. I love my roommate dearly, but our senses of style are way, _way_ different. I finally settled on a pair of low-rise jeans. I came across a top that might pass for a t-shirt at Baby Gap. Since it was the only thing that even resembled a t-shirt, I grabbed it.

Picking one of the few clean pairs of underwear I had left, I left Peter alone and trudged down the hall to the showers.

Afterward, I went back to my room to dry my hair.

"Nice shirt," Peter said, arching a brow.

I looked down at the scrap of white that (barely) covered my torso. I GO TO SCHOOL FOR THE BOYS it screamed in big block letters. I tugged the rising hem back down over my navel and muttered a sarcastic thank you.

I tried to sit at home and not think about where Warren had gone. Of course, by trying not to think about it, I only succeeded in thinking about it. So after a while of fidgeting restlessly, I grabbed my keys off the counter.

"You ok here by yourself, or do you want to come with me?" I asked Peter.

"No, it's fine. Layla is supposed to come over soon anyway, so…"

"Ok, see ya," I said, smiling and waving.

I called Will to see if he had heard from Warren, but no luck. Same with Ethan, Magenta, Zack, and Layla. He hadn't called anyone since he left the hospital.

Resigned to the fact that it wouldn't do any good to find him while he was in such a funk, I decided to hang out at the park for a while. I picked a swing and sat, listening to the chains squeak as I moved gently back and forth.

"Hey kiddo!" A voice called. I turned and smiled at my Uncle Steve as he came across the grass.

"What are you doing here?" I asked conversationally.

"Your mom needed me to help her move some furniture. What are you doing here? I figured you'd be at work."

"I took the day off," I said. "Two nights in a hospital makes one feel icky, so I called in."

"You and Warren seem to be…closer," Uncle Steve said, trying to be subtle.

"Not really, I don't guess."

"Well, I mean, from the incident in the living room the other day, and then you staying with him at the hospital…I just thought you might be an item again."

I smiled, hoping it didn't look as miserable as I felt. "Nope, still itemless."

Uncle Steve gave a sympathetic smile and looked away from me. "Maybe that's a good thing," he said absently. "For you, I mean. Warren's a good kid, but he's got one hell of a past."

"No," I said, bristling. "Warren's _father_ has one hell of a past. Warren isn't like his father."

"Kiddo," Uncle Steve said, sighing. "Warren is exactly like his father."

"He's your son's best friend, Uncle Steve!" I said, incensed. "He saved Will's life, for crying out loud."

"Did I ever tell you that Baron Battle went to school with us? Your parents, Josie, and me?"

"Yeah, and he stole the lead in Oklahoma," I said, rolling my eyes. "I've heard it."

"That's true," Uncle Steve said, waving his hand. "But before that, Baron Battle was my friend. We were on the hero track together, had all our classes together. Just like Warren and Will. He saved my life once, you know."

"What happened?" I asked quietly.

"Baron, your dad, and I all went to this party when we were juniors out at the university. I had a few too many drinks," he looked at me, dimples flashing but cleared his throat. "…of punch. Someone had spiked the punch and I didn't know. I was underage and I wouldn't drink knowingly---Anyway," he said, shaking his head. "I was upstairs on the third floor balcony dancing, when somebody knocked into me. Drunk as I was, I couldn't get my bearings and went over the edge. Baron grabbed me and hauled me back up. Of course, he also proceeded to set the kegs on fire with his freaky fire-starting brain ability, but still…"

Uncle Steve looked at me and his blue eyes were filled with sadness. "I have helped apprehend a lot of people that I've gone to school with. But Baron was the first one that was my friend. It was the hardest thing I've ever done."

"I'm sorry, Uncle Steve," I said sympathetically.

"I'm afraid that one day that will be Warren and Will. If you were caught between the two…" He sighed.

"Well, I'm pretty crappy at cheering people up, huh kiddo?"

I smiled at him and stood up. "Yeah, but at least now I understand why you and my pop never liked Warren."

Uncle Steve laughed. "No, that was just because he was a guy you were going out with."

I laughed softly before looking at my uncle and shaking my head gently. "He's not his dad," I said.

"I hope not, kiddo. I really do."

I left the park and drove around for a bit, all the while thinking about what Uncle Steve had said. Why did Baron Battle become a villain? I remembered seeing a picture of him once when Uncle Steve was showing me his yearbook. He had a smile so much like his son, one that when you saw it, you couldn't help but smile back.

What had happened to make him risk his family? His friends? Could the same thing really happen to Warren?

I stopped at a red light and flipped the radio station, thinking. Only one person knew the answers I needed.

Cutting the wheel, I made a U-turn and got onto the expressway. A few miles later and I took the exit that led to the Maxiville Maximum Security Penitentiary for Super-Villains.


	6. Revelations

6

The halls of the prison were empty, and I had several eerie Gothika moments, but once I got to the visitor's station, I relaxed some.

That is, until I realized that I was seconds away from asking to be alone with one of the most notorious super villains in Maxville.

"May I help you, miss?"

I jolted, surprised to hear a voice behind me. I turned to the burly guard behind me and smiled, clearing my throat.

"Yes. Hi. I, um, I'm here to see Baron Battle."

"Name and credentials," he said, picking up a clipboard.

"Uh, Lex—Alexis. Alexis Lewis. I don't have any credentials," I said.

The guard looked up and arched a brow. "Well then why should I let you in to see Mr. Battle?"

"I'm a friend of his son. I just wanted to talk to him."

"You know little Warren?" the man said, smiling. "He's a good kid." He watched me a moment. "Alright, miss. I'll ring D-Block and have 'em send Mr. Battle down for a few minutes. You can just go on over there and have a seat."

I sat in the cold metal chair that he pointed to and waited. Was it just me, or did the guard refer to Baron Battle with a tone of fondness in his voice?

I shook my head and fidgeted, picking at the chipped paint on the desk in front of me as I looked around. A glass panel that reached from the desk to nearly the ceiling divided the room. Because it was a private visiting area, the room was equipped with open speakers so the handheld phones you see in the movies weren't needed.

A loud honking noise startled me and I whipped around to see another guard opening the chain link door that led to the visitor's area. I stared openly, mouth slightly agape, as Warren's father stepped up to the glass panel that separated us.

It was drastically clear where Warren' got his looks. The man was beautiful, not at all what I was expecting. His hair was short and black, with slight graying at the temples that gave him a distinguished appearance. His eyes were a little lighter brown than Warren's, and a different shape, but like his son, his lashes were long and dark.

However, out of everything, it was his smile that caught me off guard. No picture could ever capture the intensity of it. It softened his features and made his dark eyes sparkle, just like his son.

"Hi there," he said, seating himself. "Winston tells me you're a friend of Warren's."

"Who's Winston?" I asked.

His smile broadened and he raised his shackled hands to point to the window. "The guard there that let you in is Winston."

"Oh," I said. "Yeah, I'm Warren's friend." I cleared my throat and gathered my wits. "Mr. Battle, I've got a few questions I was wanting to ask you."

"Are you a reporter?" he asked.

"No. No, sir. My name is Alexis."

"Ah, so you're Lex," he said slowly. "I should have guessed that. You look so much like your mother. Yes, alright. Ask whatever you want."

I thought about it for a moment, trying to come up with a tactful way to ask such a difficult question.

"Why did you go bad?" I blurted. _So much for tact. _

"That, my dear, is the million dollar question, isn't it?" he said. He smiled again, but it was somewhat melancholy. "Has Warren ever told you about his mother?"

I shrugged. "Just that she was a hero and she died when he was little."

Baron nodded. "She was a hero. We were a team. Ok, in order to fully grasp my frame of mind, I will have to set up the back-story a bit. Is that alright?"

I nodded and he continued.

"Alright, then. One night, we got a call that King Creole was threatening New Orleans with a death beam, so we went in and faced off with the him. During our attempted apprehension, Creole fired his weapon. The only way to stop the destruction of the city was to intercept the beam, so Maggie—my wife, Warren's mother—flew directly into it."

His eyes darkened with grief but he continued. "I watched my wife die, and everything I was died with her, for a time. I became a vigilante. I tracked Creole down and made him pay. I took his money and tried to make a life for my son. When the other heroes found out about it, they said that what I was doing was wrong." He scoffed and looked at me, his dark eyes penetrating.

"I didn't see it that way, so I kept it up. Tracking down other villains, taking them out, putting their money somewhere safe for Warren…until one day I looked around, and I had this nice little empire. Just like that," he said with a snap of his fingers. "I even went so far as building a laser of my own, you know. It was intended to kill any trace of evil. The thing is, Lex, everyone has some evil in them. Deep down, anyone is capable of anything, given the right circumstances.

Warren knew—seven years old, and somehow, he knew what I was doing and begged me to stop. By the time I came back to my senses, it was too late. I had been labeled a villain. All those who were once my friends had become my enemies," he finished.

"But why didn't you just tell them that you had changed?"

"Those in the hero community aren't the most forgiving of sorts," he said with a sad smile. "Besides, I _was_ a villain."

"But you were a hero!" I exclaimed. "They can't forget all the years you were a hero just because you went nuts for a little while."

Baron laughed and looked at me. "I can see why my son enjoys your company. You've got passion in spades."

"And I can see why he's so defensive of you," I said. "You don't belong here."

"The thing is, I do. When I lost Maggie, something broke in me. I've explained this to Warren several times so that he wouldn't have so much anger at The Commander."

"But your sentence is too—"

"No," he said, raising a hand. "The things I did are unforgivable. Not only that, Lex, but I can't say as I wouldn't start back up if I were out. Rehabilitation is not in the cards for one such as me."

"But why?" I asked, not understanding.

"Because, I know what I did was wrong, but I wouldn't change it. If given a second chance after Maggie's death, I would have still gone after Creole. I would still have sought justice in my own right."

"And the laser?" I demanded.

"Well, no. I wouldn't do the laser again, but who's to say I wouldn't do something just as dangerous and harebrained?"

A young guard tapped on the door. "Five minutes, Mr. Battle."

"Well, honey, if you have any other questions I suggest you ask them," he said.

"Actually, sir, I was wondering…" I trailed off and chewed my lip, wondering how to ask this one.

"You were wondering if I think Warren will end up taking the path I have."

"Yes," I said, surprised. "How did you know that?"

"Winston. He filled me in on the way down. He's a mind-reader," he clarified. "That's why he let you in without a pass. He knew your motive."

"Oh," I said, flicking a glance at Winston. The big man smiled and waved sheepishly.

"I don't know what to tell you, Lex. Warren is a stubborn man, and he has a lot of unresolved anger. However, as long as he has people out there who love him and accept his moods and temperament like you and your friends do, then he'll be alright.

I believe wholeheartedly that Warren has the heart of a hero, and I think as long as he has the right person beside him—that'd be you, in case you haven't figured it out yet—he will remember what he fights for."

My heart fell. "Mr. Battle, I'm just a squib. I don't have any powers to use to fight beside him."

"I didn't say 'fight beside'. I just said 'beside'. He has Will and all the former sidekicks to fight beside him. Warren needs you to balance him. Face it, kid. You're soul mates."

Now it was my turn to scoff. "Obviously you've never seen us together. All we do is bicker. We both had enough a looong time ago."

"Then why are you here?" Baron asked. The guard unlocked the door and opened it, leaning against the wall and seeming in no hurry.

"Let me ask you something," Baron said as he rose. "When two people love each other—really, honest to God love each other—when do you get to the point where you say you've had enough?"

I watched him as he started toward the door. Before he exited, he looked back at me and smiled. "The answer, honey, is 'never'. You never have enough, even though it drives you nuts." His brown eyes twinkled and he winked at me. "Come back sometime, huh?"

I nodded and watched him go, mulling over everything he had told me. Winston escorted me out.

"I took the liberty of asking Mr. Battle if he knew where Warren might be," the man said as he opened the gate. "If you still want to know where he is, check the old house on Rubix Ridge. Mr. Battle said that's where he used to go when things got to be too much."

"Thanks," I said. "Um, next time, can you let me know you're going to poke around in my head?"

Winston smiled and nodded, securing the gate behind me.

So, did I really want to track flameboy down? After all, it wasn't like I was the one who had left. He'd find me if and when he was ready, I determined with a nod.

I thought maybe if I talked to someone else, I would get Warren off my mind. I got in my car and called my mom, letting her know where I was. I called Layla to check on Peter. I called Zack, who filled me in on everything he and the others had been doing since they left the hospital.

After I finished the calling chain, I pulled back onto the expressway, not surprised to find myself driving in the direction of Rubix Ridge.

-

-

I desperately prayed that my car didn't stall in protest as I drove up the beat up gravel road that led to the top of the ridge. How the hell had Warren gotten here when he was a kid?

I shook my head, wincing as my car was nearly swallowed by a pothole the size of Rhode Island. I pulled off into the ditch (in case someone else was dumb enough to try to drive this road) and continued the rest of the way on foot. Naturally, five minutes into my hike it started raining.

I made it to the top and stared at the dilapidated ruins of what was once a gorgeous plantation-style house. I stepped onto the front porch, cautiously stepping around the holes in the wood.

"Warren?"

I searched the bottom floor with no sign that anyone other than rats had been there. Returning to the foyer, I eyed the staircase with distrust as I approached it, and I called for Warren again. Muttering a curse, I gripped the banister and began my ascent. The floorboards on the second floor were soft here and there, but for the most part, they seemed solid enough.

I opened the door to one bedroom and stepped inside. There was a rustling sound behind me, and naturally, my imagination went into overdrive. Every horror movie I had ever seen was sudden called to the frontlines of my memory and I found myself doing the very thing I always screamed at the girls in the movies for doing. I was going _toward _the skittering sound.

_Meat for the beast_, I thought grimly.

I pulled the fluttering curtain aside with a jerk and screamed like a banshee as two horrible creatures flew at my face. I fell on my butt, looking up at two barn swallows that flew around in a panic. I closed my eyes and heaved a sigh of relief.

I shifted to stand, but I stopped when I heard an ominous creaking. Then a popping. Then a crunching.

This was SO not good…

I started to push myself to my feet, but even as I did, my left foot sank through the rotted wood.

"Ok," I said, talking to myself. "Ok, this is…it's fine. I'm alright. It's no big deal."

I shifted again, hissing as my right leg fell through the floor and scraped a broken board.

"Ookay, _that's_ a bacterial infection," I groaned. "Warren! If you're here, seriously, I could use your help!" I shouted.

The floor creaked again. "Oh, you've got to be shitting me!" I exclaimed. I glanced around frantically for something to grab onto if the piece of floor I was left straddling suddenly gave way.

"Lex, don't move."

I craned my head around to see Warren standing in the doorway. I watched as he stepped slowly—and in some sort of pattern, I might add—to where I was stuck.

The floor started crumbling beneath my butt and I started to sink. Warren cursed and picked up the pace.

"Omigod, I didn't know there was a pattern or I would have used it. It was the birds. Those damn birds. It's their fault. I was paying attention to where I was walking until I fell. Warren, seriously, you've got to get me out of here. Now. I'm starting to get rather uneasy," I rattled. Warren just let me ramble on, knowing it was what was keeping me semi-calm.

"Lex, wrap your arms around my neck," he commanded, getting on his knees next to me.

"Oh, you shouldn't get down like that! You'll get stuck too," I said, gripping the floorboards.

"This section of the floor is still solid, Lex. Trust me," Warren said. His voice was low and quiet. "Now, wrap your arms around my neck."

He leaned over and grabbed my hips, gripping my jeans in his fists. I let go of the boards and locked my arms around his neck. My fists bunched in his soaked shirt, certainly pinching some skin with the material, but he didn't say anything.

He leaned back, gently pulling my legs out of the holes. I scuttled up like a crab and locked my legs around his hips. Now that it was over and I was out of my precarious position, I took deep breaths to keep from freaking out.

"Come on," Warren said, running a hand over my hair. I didn't move, so he stood, securing me with an arm beneath my butt as I clung to him like a toddler.

"I'm alright," I said. "Just give me a sec."

"Let's get downstairs," he said, walking.

"Just give me a second and I'll walk myself downstairs," I said against his neck. "I'm not helpless. Why can't we just wait a second upstairs?"

"Because," he said, voice shaking. "It's safer downstairs. I want you in safe conditions when I yell at you."

"Yell at me?" I asked, raising my head. "What do you have to yell at me about? I should be yelling at you."

"Move your head, I can't see." I obliged and leaned to the side. "I found you dangling two stories above the ground, through a rotted ceiling! What the hell are you doing here anyway?" he demanded, setting me on my feet at the bottom of the stairs.

My right thigh throbbed, so I hobbled back and sat on the bottom step. "I was looking for you," I said, examining my leg. It was bleeding, but it wouldn't need stitches. I owed Janine a new pair of jeans though.

I looked at Warren and frowned. "You're bleeding," I said.

He looked down at the blood that stained his wet shirt and pulled the shirt away from his chest, peering down at the wet bandage.

"Son of a…" he heaved a sigh. "I think I might have pulled a couple of stitches."

A loud crash of thunder shook the house and I patted the step next to me as rain pelted the porch outside. "Come on. You might as well get comfortable."

Warren sat next to me and leaned against the wall. "Why were you looking for me? Wait, firstly, how'd you know I'd be here?"

"I have my sources," I evaded. "As to why I'm looking for you, don't know. I was worried I guess. The way you took off earlier…" I gave a shrug. "I dunno. You should take off that bandage," I said.

"It's fine," he argued.

"Fine, but when you get some sort of gross infection because of having a nasty bandage on your chest hole," I said with a wave in his direction, "don't come whining to me."

With a sigh, Warren reached up and unbuttoned his shirt, then gently started to peel the medical tape away. He winced, and I winced for him.

"Here, let me," I said as I moved across the step. He looked like he was going to protest, but I didn't give him time. I gingerly slid the wet shirt from his shoulders and batted his fingers out of the way. "Relax, Warren. I promise not to take advantage of you in your current weakened state," I promised as I removed more tape.

He gave a tight smile that turned into a grimace as the bandage tugged against his stitches.

"Oop…Sorry," I said, chewing my lip. I slipped my finger beneath the last corner of tape and started to loosen it. "What's with all the tape? Jeez, you're like a walking Christmas present."

Finally the bandage was removed. I counted four stitches that had been pulled out. On the upside, it wasn't bleeding anymore, so that was good.

"Does that feel better?" I asked, wadding the bandage up and throwing it on the next step.

"Yeah, it's good," Warren said, leaning back again. "You're soaked," he commented.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," I said with a smile, tossing my wet hair from my eyes. "So are you."

"I was outside on the balcony in the east wing."

"Well this house isn't exactly on a car-friendly road you know," I said, picking at my wet t-shirt.

"Yeah, that's why I like it."

"I figured that. So this is like your secret sanctum, I'm guessing?"

"Obviously not TOO secret," he said pointedly. "How'd you know about this place, really?"

I chewed my lip and thought. "I'll answer you if you answer any question of my choosing. Deal?"

He eyed me warily before nodding. "Alright."

"I went to talk to your dad," I said matter-of-factly.

"What?!" Warren demanded heatedly.

"You heard me. And it's my turn to ask a question. What did you and my uncle talk about when I left to take Peter to my dorm?" I saw him start to crawfish and I pointed my finger at him. "Uh-uh…you made the deal. Answer."

"We talked about the past," Warren said evadingly.

"See, that is so unfair," I said. "I answered your question straight and upfront, knowing that you'd hit the roof. You're cheating."

"Cheating?" he asked, laughing in disbelief. "Since when are there rules in answering questions?"

"What are you so scared I'll find out?" I challenged.

"Why did you go see my father?" he countered.

"I wanted to meet him," I said. "I was curious."

"Curious," he repeated. "Since when is my dad a fucking sideshow, Alexis?"

"Would you stop!" I demanded, standing. "Just stop. Look, I don't know if you've noticed, but I have been seriously, SERIOUSLY screwed up the past few days, and—"

"Oh, gee. Sorry I wasn't paying attention to _you_ while I was laid up in the hospital with a freakin' hole in my chest!" Warren shouted, pushing himself to his feet.

I shook my head, laughing at my own stupidity. "I shouldn't have come here," I said quietly. "I'm sorry for interrupting your brooding, Warren."

"It's for your own good, you know," Warren said. I barely heard him over the sound of the pounding rain as I reached the porch.

"I wish, just for once, that someone would let _me_ decide what's good for me," I said before turning and stepping out into the rain.

"Lex!" Warren called. "Lex, this is crazy!"

I heard running footsteps and turned to him, yelling over the pouring rain. "What are you doing? Get back inside before you get something in your cut!"

He stopped in front of me, but said nothing. Water ran in little rivulets down his neck and chest. Drops fell from his eyelashes. Tendrils of hair that had escaped the bindings of his hair tie now clung to his cheeks.

"Warren, you're going to get sick," I pointed out. I clenched my jaw to keep my teeth from chattering.

"Why are you running away?" he asked, his black gaze holding mine. "You've never run away from an argument."

"I'm tired," I said. "I'm tired of everything. I'm tired of my parents worrying over every little thing I do. I'm tired of getting left in the dust because I don't have any powers. But mostly…Mostly I'm just tired of fighting with you."

"Your family loves you, Lex. That's why they worry. No," he said when I opened my mouth to speak. "Shut up and listen. They love you, and that's why they worry. That's why they rally around you whenever anything poses a threat. They want what's best for you."

"They don't know what's best for me, damn it!" I exploded. I tilted my head back and let the rain pummel my face.

"Lex, we need to get back inside," Warren said. He reached out and took my hand in his, warming it as he led me back to the house. That action proved too much, the last of my defense crumbled, and I dissolved into tears.

"I'm so sorry," I said, crying. "I've been so awful to you for something so stupid."

Warren looked uncomfortable, but wrapped his arms around me anyway. "Christ, you're freezing."

He warmed his arms and squeezed me closer until my face was nestled in the crook of his neck. His hands trailed slowly up and down my back.

'I'm f—f—fine," I sobbed. "I never hated you. I tried, I really did, but I just never really could. And I know you don't love me, and I know that you said you can't be my friend—"

I raised my head and looked at him. "Why did you kiss me?"

"What?" he asked, putting me at arm's length.

I sniffed and wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand. "You kissed me," I recalled. "Back in the room, before you booked. You kissed the crap out of me. I wrote it off as momentary insanity, but…was it?"

"Does it matter, Lexi?" Warren asked, sounding miserable. "Even if it was something else, it wouldn't matter. I wouldn't let you get mixed up with me again. It's too dangerous."

I narrowed my eyes and sniffed again. "You…you still love me, don't you?" I asked accusingly.

"I'm the one who broke up with you, remember?" he asked, turning away. "Why would I do that if I loved you?"

This time I saw through his harsh words. "I don't know, but I bet it has something to do with everyone in the freaking world thinking they know what's best for the poor little squib."

"We thought the best way to keep you safe was to make you fall out of love with me," Warren said stiffly, donning his shirt. It was still wet, but not as bad and it didn't stick to his wound.

"Well guess what? For two years I've done everything I can to fall out of love with you, but—thanks to Layla," I added grumpily, "—I realized that I can't. And apparently, you can't not love me either. You and I are soul mates, Peace. Accept it, embrace it, and move on."

"Lex, I. Can't. Keep. You. Safe," he said, speaking slowly as he would when speaking to a child.

"Newsflash, Warren. I don't need you to keep me safe. I need you to be with me. You're a pain in the ass, and I'm sure we'll argue and fight, but when it all comes down and the dust settles, I want to be with you."

I went to him, chewing my lip the way I had that Christmas so long ago. I reached up and gently tucked those loose strands of hair back behind his ear, resting my hand on his cheek.

"I love you, Warren Peace," I said quietly. "In all of your broody, moody, jackassy glory."

"'Jackassy glory'?" he asked, chuckling softly. "You've certainly got a way with words, Lex," he said, grinning.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Yeah," Warren said, pulling me closer.

"We make a pair, huh?" I asked breathlessly.

"Yeah, I think so." He grinned again. "But just think of all the things we'll have to tell our kids."

Tears stung my eyes and I clung to him. He leaned down and brushed his lips over mine in a teasing manner before kissing me deeply. Two years worth of pent-up emotion poured into that kiss. Suddenly the voice of Peter Falk rang in my head, reciting one of my favorite lines from The Princess Bride.

"_Since the invention of the kiss there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind."_


	7. EPILOGUE

**MORNING OF CHRISTMAS EVE 2007**

"Merry Christmas Lex!" Janine called as she hefted her suitcase. "You sure you don't want to just come home with me for the holidays? Mom would be thrilled."

"Nah, I'm fine here," I said. "Going somewhere would mean I'd have to put on pants." I lifted the hem of my t-shirt to reveal my panty clad hips. "Thanks though."

"Ok, hon. I'm off then. Come on over if you change your mind," she said, waving as she pulled the door shut.

I rolled myself off the couch and stood, stretching tall with a little squeal of appreciation as my muscles elongated. I gathered my cereal bowl and my box of Sugar Frosted CoCo Bombs, and went to the kitchen. I heard the front door squeak and smiled. Janine was forever forgetting stuff.

"Did you forget your gifts?" I called, amused. The dorm was quiet around me. "Janine?"

I stepped out the kitchen door and looked at the living room. The door was still closed and bolted, but I was sure—

_Bolted?!_

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled. I hadn't bolted the door when Janine left. Once again finding myself in a horror movie situation, I picked up the nearest available weapon (in this case, a grilling fork) and started down the hallway. I heard a creak behind me, but when I jumped and turned to look there was nothing there.

Huffing out an anxious breath, I turned to continue down the hall, screaming in absolute terror as a hand reached out from one of the darkened doorways and grabbed my wrist. Before I could react, I was jerked into the dark and pinned, back to front, against the intruder.

It was then that a familiar scent reached my nose and I doubled the intensity of my struggles.

"Aargh! You are such a _bastard_!" I shouted, kicking and flailing.

Warren's chuckle rumbled in his chest and sent vibrations along my spine. "Well that's real Christmassy language," he said, holding me tight and resting his chin on my shoulder. I could hear the amusement in his sarcasm and it made me livid.

"Is this funny? I don't think so. You nearly gave me a heart attack, Peace. I thought you might have been some sort of psycho."

He let go of my arms and slid his hands lower to rest on my hips. "And you were going to…what? Fork me to death?" he asked as I turned in his arms. He smiled and quirked a brow. "That sounds dirty."

I laughed, God help me. I just couldn't help it. Unable to resist, I rose to my toes and placed a quick kiss on his lips. "You're so weird," I said, smiling up at him.

"No, what's weird is that Layla isn't here, bouncing off the walls and spreading Christmas cheer. I still can't believe she went to New York. It's so…quiet around here," he said.

"She'll be back in a week, Warren. Relax," I soothed. "Peter paid her way to the city for Christmas so they could spend some time together and so she could meet his family."

I kissed him again and went back up the hall, depositing the grilling fork back in its drawer.

"What time are we supposed to be at your parents'?" Warren called from the living room.

"Around six or so," I replied. "I told your dad we'd be by before then. I have to get these cookies made. Wanna help?"

"Know what I'd rather do?" he asked as he came into the kitchen.

"I'm sure I can guess," I said with a grin. "Sorry though. I have Christmas cooking to do."

He stepped up behind me, so close I could feel the denim of his jeans on the backs of my legs. His hands cupped my hips and he gently pulled me back against him.

I reached across the counter when the phone rang, purposefully pressing against him and smiling at the grunt I heard in response.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Will."

"Oh, hey Will. What's up?"

"Nothing much. Mom was wondering what time to be at Aunt Genie's. They've got to take care of something in Madrid, but she said they shouldn't be real late."

"Tell her that Warren and I are getting there around six, but not to be in any big rush." I held the phone away from my ear as Will shouted the message to his mother.

"Here," Will said. "My dad wants to talk to you."

"O-okay," I said, shrugging my shoulders to dislodge Warren's lips from the back my neck. His mouth was distracting.

"Hey, kiddo."

"Hey Uncle Steve."

"Listen, your Aunt Jo and I were trying to think of what to get Warren. Any suggestions?"

"A muzzle," I muttered, smiling as I batted at Warren's hand, which was slowly finding its way beneath the band of elastic at my hip.

"I didn't catch that, kid. What?"

"Nothing," I said quickly. "Warren said he didn't want anyone to get him anything this year. It is some sort of weird hang up, but hey, what can you do? Ow!" I squeaked as Warren nipped my shoulder with his teeth.

"What happened?"

"What? Oh, nothing. I burned my finger on cookie sheet," I said, mouthing 'you better watch it' to Warren. I pointed my finger and arched a brow before turning back to my cookie dough. He slapped me soundly on the butt before pulling out a chair and plunking down in it.

"Anyway, I know that's what he said, but he's going to be family soon, so I—Josie and I, but mostly Josie, since she's the woman—thought that he might want something this year anyway."

I smiled, glancing at Warren. I had been absolutely furious when I found out the extent of Uncle Steve's involvement in my love life, and there had been several weeks where I didn't talk to him. When I calmed down and informed everyone that Warren and I were back together, my dad and Uncle Steve sat the two of us down and tried to talk to us about the danger I would be in.

That is, until my mom and Aunt Josie found out.

They tore the men a new one, letting them know real fast that I had enough sense to stay out of the line of fire and pointing out the number of heroes I had looking out for me (including Peter and his friends).

By the time Warren and I announced our engagement at Thanksgiving, the whole ordeal was practically forgotten and Warren was swept away by the men while my mom, Aunt Jo, Layla, and I cried like sissies.

"You there?"

I shook my head, bringing myself back to the present. "Yeah. Actually, Uncle Steve, I don't know what he'd want. Just get something and surprise him, I guess."

"Ok, I'll let your aunt know," he said. "See you tonight, kiddo."

"Alright. Bye Uncle Steve."

"What was that look for?" Warren asked when I hung up.

"What look?"

"The look like the guy on Scrubs gets. You zoned out for a minute there."

"Oh, I was just thinking," I said, coming over and sitting on Warren's lap.

"About?" he prodded.

"About how much I love you," I said with mock-innocence.

"You, my dear, are a filthy little liar," he said as he grinned and kissed me. "But you taste nice, so I'll forgive you this time."

"Good, because I have Christmas cookies to make for your dad."

"The cookies can wait," Warren said, holding onto me and standing.

"I have a batch in the oven," I protested.

He walked to the oven and flipped the knob, turning the temperature way down.

"They'll be fine," he said. He left the kitchen and I shifted, wrapping my legs around his waist. I grunted and laughed as I was bounced against the wall.

"Are you sure you don't want me just to walk?" I asked, kissing him. "You seem to be having a hard time of it."

"Must be all the cookie dough you ate," he quipped, smiling broadly, as I playfully slapped his shoulder.

"I love you, jackass," I said, gazing into the bottomless depths of his black eyes.

"I love you too, squib," he replied, dumping me unceremoniously on the bed.

My cookies burned, but so did we.

But, you know, in a _good_ way.


End file.
